A foreign minister's powers can vary from government to
government. In a classic parliamentary system, a foreign
minister can potentially exert significant influence in forming
foreign policy but when the government is dominated by a strong
prime minister the foreign minister may be limited to playing a
more marginal or subsidiary role in determining policy. Similarly,
the political powers invested in the foreign minister are often
more limited in presidential governments with a
strong executive. Since the end of World War II, it has been common for both
the foreign minister and defense minister
to be part of an inner cabinet (commonly known as a national security council) in order to
coordinate defence and diplomatic policy. Although the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries saw many heads of government assume
the foreign ministry, this practice has since become uncommon in
most developed nations.

Along with their political roles, foreign ministers are also
traditionally responsible for many diplomatic duties, such as hosting foreign
world leaders and going on state visits to other
countries. The foreign minister is generally the most well-traveled
member of any cabinet.

See also

External
links

Foreign Ministries: Adaptation
to a Changing World A collection of papers and presentations
from a conference which address the issues of performance
management and accountability assessment in foreign ministries,
diplomacy of small states, foreign services conduct of economic,
cultural and public diplomacy.

The Diplo Directory A
detailed survey of websites of ministries of foreign affairs,
embassies, and other diplomatic and consular missions.

A foreign minister is a person in a government whose job is to negotiate with leaders in other countries. In some countries, this person is called the foreign minister, but in other countries the person has another title. For example, in the United States, the top diplomat is called the Secretary of State.

A foreign minister's powers vary in different governments. In a general parliamentary system, a foreign minister forms foreign policy. But when the government has a strong prime minister the foreign minister may be may not determine policy himself.

Foreign ministers are also traditionally responsible for many diplomatic duties, such as hosting foreign world leaders. They also are responsible for going on state visits to other countries. The foreign minister is generally person who travels the most in any cabinet.

In the United Kingdom, the foreign minister is called the 'Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' (or 'Foreign Secretary' for short). Before 1968, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs only handled relations with non-Commonwealth, countries. The relations with Commonwealth countries and colonies were handled by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs. So, in Commonwealth countries other than the United Kingdom, the ministers responsible for handling relations with both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries were formerly usually designated ministers for 'External Affairs'.

In the United States, the foreign minister is called the 'Secretary of State'. He occupies the oldest cabinet post in the nation. The post originally had several domestic duties. Other common titles may include minister of foreign relations. In many Spanish-Speaking Latin American countries, the foreign minister is colloquially called canciller (chancellor).